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Mac OS X Snow Leopard is first the entirely 64-bit OS for Mac. That is to say, the operating system itself has nothing whatsoever that is 32-bit.
But Mac OS X has been able to run 64-bit code for many years with all the benefits, depending upon the hardware on which it is run. This started the day the G5 PowerMac was released in June of 2003. This is very useful information to have at the ready the next time an Apple-hater questions when Mac OS X went 64-bit. Also point out to haters that all consumer level PCs are sold, by default, with 32-bit Windows installed, NOT 64-bit Windows. However, ALL Macs are sold 64-bit, period. There are no 32-bit Macs.
All Mac hardware went 64-bit in September 2006 when the Mac Mini Core Solo was discontinued. Be sure to ask any hater when IBM derived PC hardware went entirely 64-bit. You'll drive them insane. The answer: NEVER. At this moment in time there is no foreseeable date will all PCs will be 64-bit.
So what ships with Mac OS X Snow Leopard that is still 32-bit? Not much. I went through every application and here is what I found:
1) QuickTime 7.x, if you custom install it. QuickTime X is 64-bit.
2) iTunes. This includes updating to iTunes 9.0.
3) DVD Player 5.2.
4) X11 2.3.4.
5) Podcast Capture 2.0.
6) Grapher 2.1.
The end. Let me know if you find other stragglers.
There are a couple easy GUI ways you can tell what mode is being used:
a) Do a Get Info on an app and see if there is a check box for 'Open in 32-bit mode'. If there is, the app is 64-bit by default.
b) Run the app and check it in Activity Monitor. Look in the 'Kind' column. If the Kind says only 'Intel' then it is running as 32-Bit. Otherwise it would say 'Intel (64 bit).
One very kewl thing about Mac OS X is that the kernel runs 32-bit processes NATIVELY. However, 64-bit Windows has to run 32-bit processes in emulation. That means they run more slowly than they do in 32-bit Windows. Emulation speeds suck compared to native speed. Your haters won't like that either.
Then of course finish your 'mine is bigger than yours' contest by pointing out that Macs are capable of running both 32-Bit and 64-bit Windows natively at faster speeds than PCs. (Google it for yourself to verify). Then suggest, in a friendly manner, that they defect from the PC and Get A Mac. Statistics consistently prove that they will be happier when they switch to their 64-bit Mac.
:-D
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Sunday, September 20, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
TechTracker Goes Oblique Part I
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TechTracker Part I
I'm a big fan of TechTracker. I've enjoyed talking with one of its creators and back everything he has accomplished. It is a GREAT organization. Or it was until CNET bought it. Since that time it has been what I can only call a mess. And the mess is getting bigger this month. Real big.
TechTracker created VersionTracker.com and MacFixIt.com. I have been a paid member of both for yonks. Their services are great and matched by no one. But last year they started revamping their system and their servers. The ongoing transition has been very difficult to endure. Let me give you an example: The VersionTracker database has tags for applications that are compatible with Snow Leopard 10.6. Except the tags aren't showing up in the user interface, and their support staff don't know why. WTF?!
Then last week a sequence of events started that must be one of the strangest stories going on over the Internet. This will twist your mind:
1) A couple months back TechTracker announced that there services would become free for all. Nice! They offered a refund to all members, prorated, for the amount of time left on their accounts. I got 10¢!
2) Then at the stroke of midnight, September 7th, I had my VersionTracker Pro account cut off. Dead. Gone. I was an ordinary citizen again. Huh?! Did I miss something? So I wrote TechTracker about it early that morning. I wrote twice. I never heard back from them! All I got were auto-bot notes with an incident numbers. I got two of those auto responses for each of my support requests. Very weird, like their bot was stuttering.
3) Then about three hours later I got a message that both my VersionTracker Pro and MacFixIt Pro accounts had been renewed, and I had been automatically charged $64.74. HUH?! So both Pro services were still available?! WHAT?! I checked around their confusing website:
What could be going on? Someone murdered their support staff? Possible. More likely they all went on vacation for the week and turned off the auto-bot on the way out the door. Other possibility: My ripping to shreds last week of their diabolically stooopid anti-Mac security FUD article about Mac OS X security inspired them to treat me poorly. Revenge for speaking truth to dopiness? Oh CNET. Living down to my lowest expectations? I hope not.
What to do, what to do. I'm going to give it another week before I cancel my subscriptions over a the TechTracker sites. Its a cliff hanger! I'll let you know what response I receive from TechTracker, if any. If I kill off my TechTracker accounts I'll let you know and cry on your shoulder. I love those guys. This trouble is making me sad. :-(
==
TechTracker Part I
I'm a big fan of TechTracker. I've enjoyed talking with one of its creators and back everything he has accomplished. It is a GREAT organization. Or it was until CNET bought it. Since that time it has been what I can only call a mess. And the mess is getting bigger this month. Real big.
TechTracker created VersionTracker.com and MacFixIt.com. I have been a paid member of both for yonks. Their services are great and matched by no one. But last year they started revamping their system and their servers. The ongoing transition has been very difficult to endure. Let me give you an example: The VersionTracker database has tags for applications that are compatible with Snow Leopard 10.6. Except the tags aren't showing up in the user interface, and their support staff don't know why. WTF?!
Then last week a sequence of events started that must be one of the strangest stories going on over the Internet. This will twist your mind:
1) A couple months back TechTracker announced that there services would become free for all. Nice! They offered a refund to all members, prorated, for the amount of time left on their accounts. I got 10¢!
2) Then at the stroke of midnight, September 7th, I had my VersionTracker Pro account cut off. Dead. Gone. I was an ordinary citizen again. Huh?! Did I miss something? So I wrote TechTracker about it early that morning. I wrote twice. I never heard back from them! All I got were auto-bot notes with an incident numbers. I got two of those auto responses for each of my support requests. Very weird, like their bot was stuttering.
3) Then about three hours later I got a message that both my VersionTracker Pro and MacFixIt Pro accounts had been renewed, and I had been automatically charged $64.74. HUH?! So both Pro services were still available?! WHAT?! I checked around their confusing website:
- The cost for the bundle of VersionTracker Pro and MacFixIt Pro really is still listed there at their site, despite their claims to be making them free. What planet am I on?!
- There is a bundle listed for both services together. The cost is $59.95, not $64.74. So I was charged more because why?
- Verification of the continued existence of VersionTracker Pro was found on a separate page on the site and in their VersionTracker Pro software. So, I was misinformed? But I wanted verbal, human verification as well.
What could be going on? Someone murdered their support staff? Possible. More likely they all went on vacation for the week and turned off the auto-bot on the way out the door. Other possibility: My ripping to shreds last week of their diabolically stooopid anti-Mac security FUD article about Mac OS X security inspired them to treat me poorly. Revenge for speaking truth to dopiness? Oh CNET. Living down to my lowest expectations? I hope not.
What to do, what to do. I'm going to give it another week before I cancel my subscriptions over a the TechTracker sites. Its a cliff hanger! I'll let you know what response I receive from TechTracker, if any. If I kill off my TechTracker accounts I'll let you know and cry on your shoulder. I love those guys. This trouble is making me sad. :-(
==
Snow Leopard 10.6.1 Update - Where? Click Me
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I made the title for this article link to where you can get the downloadable version of the 10.6.1 updates, both client and server. Somehow Apple has not gotten around to adding these updates to the regular downloads page. Very strange. So you have to go here instead:
http://support.apple.com/downloads/
You'll also find there the new Security Update 2009-005 for Tiger and Leopard. For now I am going to skip reviewing the security fixes as I am gearing up for a big boring article summarizing the past month and a half of security patch trends, similar to what I did last month.
I finally got my claws on the client version of Snow Leopard. Tomorrow I expect to test out the Server version.
Blethering:
No iPod Touch with camera on 9-9-09?! I'm betting it is a marketing manoeuvre, one that will push forward in time my purchasing the iPod Touch.
I've noticed a lot of updates to software I thought was dead, all to make them Snow Leopard compatible. Kewlness.
What's up with TechTracker? I'm in total confusion as to what CNET have done to them. I'm getting the idea that even TechTracker is confused. I think I'll write an article about it! Coming up!
--
I made the title for this article link to where you can get the downloadable version of the 10.6.1 updates, both client and server. Somehow Apple has not gotten around to adding these updates to the regular downloads page. Very strange. So you have to go here instead:
http://support.apple.com/downloads/
You'll also find there the new Security Update 2009-005 for Tiger and Leopard. For now I am going to skip reviewing the security fixes as I am gearing up for a big boring article summarizing the past month and a half of security patch trends, similar to what I did last month.
I finally got my claws on the client version of Snow Leopard. Tomorrow I expect to test out the Server version.
Blethering:
No iPod Touch with camera on 9-9-09?! I'm betting it is a marketing manoeuvre, one that will push forward in time my purchasing the iPod Touch.
I've noticed a lot of updates to software I thought was dead, all to make them Snow Leopard compatible. Kewlness.
What's up with TechTracker? I'm in total confusion as to what CNET have done to them. I'm getting the idea that even TechTracker is confused. I think I'll write an article about it! Coming up!
--
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
I Quit TWIT
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I'm surprised that Leo Laporte, of This Week In Tech fame, declares himself a Snow Leopard 'HATER'. Listening to the TWIT podcast discussing Snow Leopard's release made my ears bleed. Not because of fanboi-ism. It was because Mr. Laporte's slam treatment was based on nonsense. What few facts he knew about Snow Leopard he actually avoided discussing.
Examples:
Conclusion: I quit TWIT. It's been a long time coming. Dvorak is of course a useless toad, possibly the most deliberately dishonest and worthless 'prominent' technical writer in the business. So I ignore his wheezes. But to have Leo Laporte behave as an ignorant troll in public. Not acceptable. Me = sad, but that's enough for me.
Earlier in the year I stopped my Pogue worship. He got the hoax known as 'HD' Radio very wrong in his article and video on the subject. We did a back and forth by email that disturbed me. So I'm on sabbatical from his work for an extended period of time if only to allow myself to forgive him for recommending BAD TECHNOLOGY to his readers. <--See, I'm still upset. But Pogue got it right with Snow Leopard in his review. I'd take Mr. Pogue over our pair of HATE MEDIA trolls twins any time.
Shame on you Mr. Laporte. Dvorak's dullard dopiness has corrupted your synapses. So long and thanks for all the happy techy memories.
--
I'm surprised that Leo Laporte, of This Week In Tech fame, declares himself a Snow Leopard 'HATER'. Listening to the TWIT podcast discussing Snow Leopard's release made my ears bleed. Not because of fanboi-ism. It was because Mr. Laporte's slam treatment was based on nonsense. What few facts he knew about Snow Leopard he actually avoided discussing.
Examples:
- Mr. Laporte got QuickTimeX all wrong. At one point I heard someone in the gang say they thought Apple was going to still offer a 'Pro' version of QuickTimeX. <--NO.
- Mr. Laporte went into troll mode about Grand Central with no explanation of what it was or why he didn't like it. <--HUH?
- Mr. Laporte said Snow Leopard was a marketing move by Apple to counter 7ista. But his explanation was again in troll mode. He said nothing at all that backed up his claim. Instead he did the usual troll move of saying Snow Leopard is a 'service pack', meaning that it was a lame patch job reminiscent of Microsoft. <--NO.
Conclusion: I quit TWIT. It's been a long time coming. Dvorak is of course a useless toad, possibly the most deliberately dishonest and worthless 'prominent' technical writer in the business. So I ignore his wheezes. But to have Leo Laporte behave as an ignorant troll in public. Not acceptable. Me = sad, but that's enough for me.
Earlier in the year I stopped my Pogue worship. He got the hoax known as 'HD' Radio very wrong in his article and video on the subject. We did a back and forth by email that disturbed me. So I'm on sabbatical from his work for an extended period of time if only to allow myself to forgive him for recommending BAD TECHNOLOGY to his readers. <--See, I'm still upset. But Pogue got it right with Snow Leopard in his review. I'd take Mr. Pogue over our pair of HATE MEDIA trolls twins any time.
Shame on you Mr. Laporte. Dvorak's dullard dopiness has corrupted your synapses. So long and thanks for all the happy techy memories.
--
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The 'How To Install Snow Leopard' Debate
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Apple have taken a new approach for installing Snow Leopard. Sometimes it is backfiring, which is disconcerting. I don't have my claws on Snow Leopard yet. It's in the mail. But here is my POV so far, as I posted at MacDailyNews:
If you have the time and stamina, I suggest a CLEAN INSTALL of Snow Leopard. Performing an install over Leopard (or Tiger) and running into a problem is rare. No need to blow the problem out of proportion. But the problems are happening.
Therefore, of course I am going to suggest the #1 Rule Of Computing: MAKE A BACKUP of your ENTIRE boot drive before performing ANY installation of Snow Leopard. Carbon Copy Cloner is free to use these days. Get to it! You will not regret it.
--
Apple have taken a new approach for installing Snow Leopard. Sometimes it is backfiring, which is disconcerting. I don't have my claws on Snow Leopard yet. It's in the mail. But here is my POV so far, as I posted at MacDailyNews:
From every reviewer's point of view, the new approach Apple is taking is to lead users to install ON TOP OF their current OS installation. For ordinary users, there isn't a clear method for making a clean installation via the DVD.Conclusions:
There are a couple problems with this approach:
A) What if the current OS installation is corrupt, or that volume is damaged? It most likely means problems after the new OS installation.
B) What if Apple's list of NOT-compatible applications and extensions is incorrect? Well, it IS incorrect! The result has been that some good applications are sequestered by the installer and some bad applications are left in place. The worst examples are bad .KEXT files left in the system that are causing the Sit-And-Spin problem for some users after the installation has rebooted.
How is Apple supposed to solve both these problems?
A) Test and repair both installation volume. The repairs provided by fsck/Disk Utility are NOT adequate for this task.
B) Apple has to have tested EVERY application and .KEXT file that runs in Leopard. (Apple are not supporting installation over Tiger, although it has been found to usually work). Good luck with that one. There is no registry at Apple for applications. Apple literally has no way of knowing all the software available for Mac. It's not going to happen.
Therefore, this new approach is going to have problems now and in the future.
Meanwhile, I can verify that a CLEAN INSTALL is the very very best way to go in all cases. It has solved major problems for me many times. Sorry Apple. Nice idea! But not practical or supportable.
If you have the time and stamina, I suggest a CLEAN INSTALL of Snow Leopard. Performing an install over Leopard (or Tiger) and running into a problem is rare. No need to blow the problem out of proportion. But the problems are happening.
Therefore, of course I am going to suggest the #1 Rule Of Computing: MAKE A BACKUP of your ENTIRE boot drive before performing ANY installation of Snow Leopard. Carbon Copy Cloner is free to use these days. Get to it! You will not regret it.
--
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Safari 4.0.3 Intel Tiger Installer Bug
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Intro: If you didn't read the comment I added to my last article about 10.5.8, please do. The script problem I described is isolated to only the Intel Combo updater for 10.5.8. So far I have found no reports of problems using the normal Software Update updater for Intel Macs.
Today's problem:
This one has also been verified. It is apparently restricted to the Intel version of the Safari 4.0.3 updater for Tiger.
Symptom:
After installing Safari 4.0.3, you run it and find Safari locks up while loading a web page. The lockup consists of going into permanent sit-and-spin mode via the twirling lollipop of doom.
Solution:
Restart your Mac AGAIN. Problem gone. QED.
This is the second time in a week Apple have distributed an update with a faulty script. I think someone over there needs a vacation.
I'll discuss the security content of the update over at Mac-Security.
--
Intro: If you didn't read the comment I added to my last article about 10.5.8, please do. The script problem I described is isolated to only the Intel Combo updater for 10.5.8. So far I have found no reports of problems using the normal Software Update updater for Intel Macs.
Today's problem:
This one has also been verified. It is apparently restricted to the Intel version of the Safari 4.0.3 updater for Tiger.
Symptom:
After installing Safari 4.0.3, you run it and find Safari locks up while loading a web page. The lockup consists of going into permanent sit-and-spin mode via the twirling lollipop of doom.
Solution:
Restart your Mac AGAIN. Problem gone. QED.
This is the second time in a week Apple have distributed an update with a faulty script. I think someone over there needs a vacation.
I'll discuss the security content of the update over at Mac-Security.
--
Monday, August 10, 2009
Mac OS X 10.5.8 Intel Combo Updater Script Bug
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The Mac OS X 10.5.8 Intel Combo update installer is buggy and is causing an unusual problem. My suggestion is to wait until the problem have been sorted out.
If you want the rundown on what's going on, check out MacFixIt.com, who are keeping track of it all.
Personally, this is the first time I have had any major trouble with an Apple update. I got hit by the damaged permissions bug in the installer. That fact that I was updating Mac OS X 10.5.8 Server did not make the problem any more pretty. The first symptom I had was being unable to run certain applications. Example: MacTracker throws up a warning box that my administrator account does not having sufficient permissions for a variety of directories. I don't suggest trying to fix these permissions problems as apparently they go into the ACL level, and unless you are an expert, (I'm not), I'd move along to one of the currently suggested fixes:
The current best suggestion for performing the installation of Intel 10.5.8 via the Combo update installer is below. Please don't fall over when you read it. I know. No normal user will tolerate this:
1) Repair the volume.
2) Repair the volume's permissions. Ignore the never-fixed permissions you see over and over and over. That was a bug from the 10.5.7 installer. (o_0)
3) Download the Combo installer from Apple's site.
4) Boot the volume into Safe Mode.
5) Install using the Combo 10.5.8 installer.
6) Let the Mac go through its 2x restarts.
7) Do NOT NOT NOT then repair permissions.
8) Reboot into Safe Mode again.
9) REINSTALL the Combo 10.5.8 installer AGAIN. (Yes, again.)
10) Let the Mac go through the 2x restarts, again.
11) NOW repair your permissions.
At that point you 'should' be OK. But don't take my word for it.
Simply put: Part of the installation process involves permission changes involving a database on the Mac. Part of the script for the installation is wrong and does not finish the process correctly. You have to perform the installation a second time for the script to use the permissions database correctly. If you only install once, then repair your permissions, you're actually damaging the permissions, giving them wrong settings. The second installation will solve the problem, as long as you have NOT repaired your permissions yet.
Happy me lives on the bleeding edge and did not know about this mess. I followed the usual rules, which messed over my server update. I then compounded the problem by trying to compensate for it by DIY permissions repair. Despite the fact that I set everything so it 'looks' good in the GUI, down deep in the ACL settings I made scrambled eggs. I am now going to have to reinstall the OS from scratch. Thankfully I am used to such stuff. But your Aunt Mabel is going to scream bloody murder if she has to perform this dancing act. Hopefully Apple will update the installer script ASAP.
--
The Mac OS X 10.5.8 Intel Combo update installer is buggy and is causing an unusual problem. My suggestion is to wait until the problem have been sorted out.
If you want the rundown on what's going on, check out MacFixIt.com, who are keeping track of it all.
Personally, this is the first time I have had any major trouble with an Apple update. I got hit by the damaged permissions bug in the installer. That fact that I was updating Mac OS X 10.5.8 Server did not make the problem any more pretty. The first symptom I had was being unable to run certain applications. Example: MacTracker throws up a warning box that my administrator account does not having sufficient permissions for a variety of directories. I don't suggest trying to fix these permissions problems as apparently they go into the ACL level, and unless you are an expert, (I'm not), I'd move along to one of the currently suggested fixes:
The current best suggestion for performing the installation of Intel 10.5.8 via the Combo update installer is below. Please don't fall over when you read it. I know. No normal user will tolerate this:
1) Repair the volume.
2) Repair the volume's permissions. Ignore the never-fixed permissions you see over and over and over. That was a bug from the 10.5.7 installer. (o_0)
3) Download the Combo installer from Apple's site.
4) Boot the volume into Safe Mode.
5) Install using the Combo 10.5.8 installer.
6) Let the Mac go through its 2x restarts.
7) Do NOT NOT NOT then repair permissions.
8) Reboot into Safe Mode again.
9) REINSTALL the Combo 10.5.8 installer AGAIN. (Yes, again.)
10) Let the Mac go through the 2x restarts, again.
11) NOW repair your permissions.
At that point you 'should' be OK. But don't take my word for it.
Simply put: Part of the installation process involves permission changes involving a database on the Mac. Part of the script for the installation is wrong and does not finish the process correctly. You have to perform the installation a second time for the script to use the permissions database correctly. If you only install once, then repair your permissions, you're actually damaging the permissions, giving them wrong settings. The second installation will solve the problem, as long as you have NOT repaired your permissions yet.
Happy me lives on the bleeding edge and did not know about this mess. I followed the usual rules, which messed over my server update. I then compounded the problem by trying to compensate for it by DIY permissions repair. Despite the fact that I set everything so it 'looks' good in the GUI, down deep in the ACL settings I made scrambled eggs. I am now going to have to reinstall the OS from scratch. Thankfully I am used to such stuff. But your Aunt Mabel is going to scream bloody murder if she has to perform this dancing act. Hopefully Apple will update the installer script ASAP.
--
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